Mariah Sands

MUED 410
CMP Teaching Plan
9-24-2015
Soon Ah Will Be Done
William L. Dawson (1899-1990)
Originally an African American work song
Arranged by Dawson for the Tuskegee Institute Choir in 1934
Original key: B Minor

Analysis
Broad Description/Type Black American Spiritual for mixed choir
Background Information Song originated in the 1800s as a work song for African American slaves. In 1934, Dawson
arranged it as a spiritual for the Tuskegee Institute Choir.
William Levi Dawson was born in Anniston, Alabama where he grew up hearing black American folksongs (Grove). At the
age of fifteen, Dawson entered the Tuskegee Institute where he was involved with the band and choir, and studied piano and
composition. In 1925 Dawson received his bachelor of music from Horner Institute of Fine Arts in Kansas City, Missouri. While
working on his masters degree in Chicago, he bass with numerous jazz musicians, played trombone in the Chicago Civic
Orchestra, and was the music director of Ebenezer Baptist Church. His time at the church renewed his love for black American
folksong and shortly after published arrangements of black American Spirituals.
From 1931 to 1956, Dawson taught at the Tuskegee Institute and brought the choir international acclaim and praise. In
1934, when Soon Ah Will Be Done was published, the choir went on an international tour to the British Isles, Europe, and the
Soviet Union by sponsorship of the President of the United States and the State Department.
Dawson is considered one of the most significant black American composers of the first half of the 20 th century (Grove). He
was inducted into the Alabama Music Hall of Fame in 1989. His vocal music has become a staple and reflects his interest in the
black American folksong.
Negro Workaday Songs A term coined by Howard Odum and Guy Johnson in their book titled as such. In it they state that
the folksongs or workaday songs were created by slaves primarily to enlighten the mood of fellow slaves and to portray
messages. There are numerous songs about the contrast between their actual conditions and the ends that they wish to meet.
These types of songs value home and relatives very highly, possibly due to the fact that as slaves they were taken from home
and separated from their families.
 Mariah Sands
MUED 410
CMP Teaching Plan
9-24-2015
Elements of Music
Form: ABACCAB This piece is fairly repetitive as can be seen by the form analysis. The A sections repetition helps to heighten
the drama of the piece. By having this return, the listeners are able to relate back to what they already heard and add new
experiences to it from the new material. This ultimately helps build the piece to the very end, letting the climax be at the very
end. The contrast between the A section and the B and C sections also add to the drama of this piece.

Form
and Time Expressive
Melody Harmony Timbre Texture Text Speculation
Sectio (Rhythm) Elements
n
A Found in the This section Meter throughout Very The entire Soon Dynamic: This section
mm.1- soprano part. begins on the the piece is cut soft, but piece is sung a ah will pianissimo, is shocking
8 Spans an tonic, moving time. The rhythm yet a cappella, and be don and lightly to the
octave in quickly to the VI that dominates full in this section a-wid with listener since
range, very and II7. Then it this section is a sound. is de crescendo it is a
stepwise quickly changes dance-like dotted homophonic. troubles mm. 5, spiritual and
except for the back to i and to eighth note ob de decrescendo it begins
occasional a V7/i all within followed by a worl, to pp mm. 6. quietly. The
leap of a third the first sixteenth note. goin rhythms
or a fourth measure. The The only home t show either a
that outlines third measure measures live wid hesitation, or
the tonic plays with a iv+9 without this God. anticipation,
chord. and iv leading rhythm pattern or even a
to II then i. are seven and sneaking
Since the eight where the around. The
section repeats rhythm is not Text adds to
itself in lilting or urgent, the idea of
measure five, but strong and anticipation.
the chord straightforward.
structure for
that measure is
the same, but
differs in
measure seven
where it goes to
 Mariah Sands
MUED 410
CMP Teaching Plan
9-24-2015
a minor v7 into i.
B Found in the This section, This sections Full This section is I wan Fortissimo This section
mm.9- bass part, is adding to the rhythms are less sound, also primarily t meet with near- is very
16 no larger than ideas of divided, giving it robust. homophonic. my excessive defiant and
a sixth strength and a sense of mother, accents; the firm. The
between F#3 firmness strength and Im only rooftop rhythms,
and D4. There primarily determination going t accent is on timbre, and
are no leaps switches rather than live wid meet in the expressive
greater than a between i and sneaking around God. upper three elements all
third except v. or lilting. parts where give the
for mm.14 into the bass part impression
15 where it has them on I that the
goes from the wan, meet, singer is no
F#3 to D4. and the last longer willing
Otherwise my. to sneak
primarily around and
stepwise. wants to
have reached
the goal.
A (see A mm. 1- (see A mm. 1-8) (see A mm.1-8) (see A The only (see A (see A mm.1- (see A mm.1-
mm.17 8) mm.1- difference mm.1- 8) Crescendo 8)
-24 8) from the 8) mm. 21,
original A decrescendo
section is that to pp mm. 22.
the soprano
part does not
sing the last
two measures
of this section
just as the
bass did in A.
Homophonic.
C Found in the Much like the B These rhythms The No Fortissimo This section
mm.25 soprano line, it section, this are much like the soprano This section is more with forzandos almost
-32 is very switches B sections in line thinner than weepin in the soprano sounds like
 Mariah Sands
MUED 410
CMP Teaching Plan
9-24-2015
(Count stepwise in a between i and v that they are not adds a any other an a line on the wailing, but
ing descending until measure lilting and stark since the wailin, word, has much of
first manner and 30 where a VI7 stronger. contrast soprano line Im wailin. In the same
ending leaps up to is introduced, However, all to the takes over and goin t the other impact as the
) the beginning leading to v7 parts but the very the other live wid three parts, B section: it
note of the and then to i. soprano come in grounde three voices God. the accents on is demanding
next phrase or only at the end d and are No more, and outright.
a third to the of measures and lower homophonic, indicate short It gives the
second note is very short and timbre and heard but powerful, impression
heard in each punched. The of the sparingly. and the word, that he
phrase. soprano line is other wailin has singer is sick
composed sections accented of weeping
mostly of eight . staccatos until and wailing.
notes and gives Reminis measure 30.
a sense of cent of
urgency. the
wailing
the line
is
describi
ng
C The melody is Even though A rhythmic Higher Each of the (See C Fortissimo This section
mm.33 passed each part has motive of four in each four parts mm.25- with each is very
-47 between each the melody at eighth notes of the repeats 32) individual part different
(secon of the parts. It one point, from each with their parts rhythmic having its own from all the
d spans sixth mm. 33-38, own accent ranges motives at accents and rest and
ending between F# there is only i followed by two leading their own time forzandos as shows that
until and D and is and v7. In mm. slurred eighth to a creating a needed in everyone
return primarily 39, a vi7 is notes to a more polyphonic each line. from
of A) stepwise in a introduced; quarter note strained texture until everywhere
descending mm. 41, II7. The appears in all the sound mm.37 where is pursuing
motion. Mm. section ends on parts. There is a and the bottom the same
37, it remains a V. mix between this very three parts goal and that
in the soprano motive and half chaotic come when not
line for the notes or dotted due to together, united
 Mariah Sands
MUED 410
CMP Teaching Plan
9-24-2015
remainder of half notes to fill the homophonic. towards that
the section the space. texture. common
and is no goal, it is
larger than a hardly
third. conceivable.
A (see A mm.1- (see A mm.1-8) (see A mm.1-8) (see A (see A mm.1- (see A (see A mm.1- (see A mm.
mm.48 8) mm.1- 8) mm.1- 8) 1-8)
-55 8) 8) Crescendo
mm. 52,
decrescendo
mm.53 to pp.
B (see B mm. 9- (see B. mm.9- (see B mm. 9-16) Full and This section is I wan Fortissimo, This section
mm.56 16) 16) robust. different from t meet and only slight is almost
-67 The very last the original B my differences identical to
(end) chord is B section in two Jesus, than the the original B
major. ways: on the Im original B section,
repeat, there goin t section, but except that
is a soprano live wid definitely there the
descant, and God. going for the only B major
the second same effect, if chord at the
ending not a bigger very end.
features the effect. This can
tenors for two mean many
measures as a things, but I
solo line, then believe it to
ends mean that
homophonicall the singer
y. has either
reached that
goal or still
has what it
takes to
reach it
hope.
 Mariah Sands
MUED 410
CMP Teaching Plan
9-24-2015
Heart Statement: This piece exemplifies the longing for better times and a better life through its meaningful text, creative
rhythms, and dramatic dynamic contrasts.
Music Selection
This piece has many layers to its meaning. On the surface, it shows the simple desire of wanting to be done with all the
stress and turmoil that the world creates. However, when looking deeper into its meaning and applying knowledge of the history
of the United States, students will find that there is more grief and anguish tied up in this piece than what meets the first glance.
Students will find a connection between themselves and this piece since they deal with many stressors and may want to leave
high school behind and pursue bigger and better things just as the piece is longing to escape to heaven. Each of the sections in
the piece adds uniqueness through the text and voicing, but yet the piece is consistent since all pieces of the form tie to one
central heart statement. This piece has multiple opportunities to grow and can fulfill some of the needs of the students. They will
be united towards a common goal; therefore, finding a sense of belonging. However, this piece also gives the opportunity for
each part to stand alone, thus requiring each member to contribute to the whole sound. This piece can also fulfill the need for
fun. Since it is a spiritual and outside the typical Western traditions for music, it is likely that the choir has only sung a few pieces
in this genre. Being such, this piece would be fun since it was something new, and because the style of it is fun to sing, especially
the lilting rhythms in the A section. This type of music and the historical movements that it represents are important to learn
since black Americans and their music brought about new genres such as jazz and spirituals, and not learning about it would
leave a substantial gap in the students knowledge of the history of this country and its music.
Outcomes
Skill: Students will perform with expressive dynamics, making interpretive decisions about the relationship of parts to the whole.
- Strategies
o Since these are high school seniors, they will know the meaning of the dynamics marked. However, they may not know
how to express these dynamics in contribution to the whole choir. In other words, they may know what it feels like in
their own voice to sing fortissimo, but they may not know what it means for the choir to sing fortissimo. Since this is the
case, we will discuss what it means for the choir to sing dynamics: the importance listening and balance. This
discussion will be reinforced through warm-up exercises that focus on balance within the dynamic changes. For
example, singing chords and listening across the choir while changing dynamics.
o Students will identify which parts have the melody and which parts are supporting that melody through score analysis
and sight-singing.

- Assessment
o The students will assess their own ability to express dynamics by listening to other parts. Certain parts will not sing
while evaluating the other parts and then be asked to discuss what they heard within their section and pick one
spokesperson to articulate the main points of their discussion to the remainder of the choir. Through this assessment,
 Mariah Sands
MUED 410
CMP Teaching Plan
9-24-2015
student will also further their knowledge of the other sections parts; therefore, allowing them to know what to listen for
while singing together.
o In their scores, students will mark which parts have the melody. Doing so will allow me as the conductor to analyze if
they are listening and using their judgment when expressing the extreme dynamics by listening for a balance.
Knowledge: Students will recognize the importance of this genre in the course of the history of United States music.
- Strategies
o Comparing this genre to others and identifying how it is different. Having those observations in mind, we will consider
other genres of music that came about in the 1920s and how the freedom of slaves impacted them.
o Watch the Emmy- Award speech by Viola Davis and analyze it. Do you agree, does the quote still apply today? Do you
often feel the same way as someone who is still not considered an adult and who grew up in a small town? How can we
relate this quote to our own lives considering that this is a group of seniors in the twenty-first century?
- Assessment
o The students will be split up into groups and asked to discuss the genre and how slavery in America has changed music
then asked to report to the rest of the choir. They will be given prompts that I will prepare.
o Viola Davis speech will be assessed by answering the questions on an index card that will be turned in before they
leave the room.
Affective: Students will compare, appreciate, and express feelings about the different emotions and feelings that the different
sections of the piece elicit through central concepts such as rhythm and expressive elements such as dynamics.
- Strategies
o Spending a whole lesson on the rhythms learning how to perform them and what emotions they create by relating to
time when they have felt their heart beating fast or times that they wish they were done with a task.
- Assessment
o Students will act out the

Sources:
Willie Strong. "Dawson, William Levi." Grove Music Online. Oxford Music Online. Oxford University Press. Web. 23 Sep. 2015.
Alabama Music Hall of Fame. William Levi Dawson. Hall of Fame Inductees. Alabama Music Hall of Fame. Web. 23 Sep. 2015